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Two new trophies was introduced for this season. Jack Adams won the first Lester Patrick Trophy for his contribution to hockey in the United States. This was also the first season the Conn Smythe Trophy was awarded for the most valuable player in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The only significant rules change for this season was a requirement that teams suit up two goaltenders for each game.

On the debit side, a strong bid from Vancouver was rejected, much to the anger of Canadians and the protest of Prime Minister Lester Pearson, and the rumor was widely spread - fuelled by a corroborating statement from Leafs' general manager Punch Imlach that the Toronto and Montreal owners had vetoed the bid out of a dislike for sharing television money.

Gordie Howe scored his 600th NHL goal in Montreal November 27th in a 3-2 loss to the Canadiens to the cheers of the local fans. Among lesser milestones in the season were Frank Mahovlich's 250th goal and John Bucyk's and Claude Provost's 200th.

In an unusual incident, the Red Wings' jerseys were stolen from the visitors' dressing room in Montreal the night before a January game, and Detroit was compelled to play in the uniforms of their junior farm team in Hamilton, which were express shipped to Montreal in time for the match.

James D. Norris, owner of the Chicago Black Hawks, died of a heart attack in late February.

The second game of the semi-final series between Detroit and Chicago on April 10th, in which Detroit won by the score of 7-0, was reputed to be the first nationally televised hockey game in the United States.

Behind the skilled goaltending of Roger Crozier, who had missed parts of the regular season with illness, the Red Wings won the first two games of the Finals. However, Crozier was injured in the fourth game and seemed not to recover his form, and the Canadiens won the Cup four games to two. Roger Crozier won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the outstanding player of the playoffs.